Anxieties
by fishiesinthesky
Summary: Richter's been having nightmares, and Aster is worried about him. Just a short, fluffy AsterxRichter drabble for your enjoyment! Rated T for language.


Originally, I had ended it with this line: "Not two months later, they went to see the lord of all monsters together, for the first and last time." But I thought that would be a bit angsty, so you can choose to ignore it, or treat it as part of the story. Whatever you like.

This is just a bit of shameless, slightly OOC AsterxRichter fluff for you guys. :) Mostly for practice at 2 AM. I would have written some more RataEmil, but there isn't enough love for Aster or Richter here, if you ask me! (I'm also thinking of writing a longer fic. That said, I've been seriously neglecting my online courses for the summer, so I'm not sure when I'll get to write any more than this.) Please leave a review and tell me what you think!

I do not own Tales of Symphonia, DotNW or otherwise.

Enjoy!

**xxx ANXIETIES xxx**

Richter jolted upright with a start, face white as the sheets that he clutched in his fisted hands. It was yet another nightmare – _the most vivid one this week,_ he thought mirthlessly. _Damn it, why?_ He wasn't anxious about anything in particular. Nothing unusual was going on in Sybak, and he hadn't eaten anything especially weird before bed, either. Though, speaking of midnight snacking…

"Richter?"

He whipped around to face the source of the noise… only to sigh in relief. It was so like his roommate to be up this time of night; and eating ice cream, no less.

"Aster, don't scare me like that." Richter made an earnest effort to control his breathing.

"My bad." Aster glanced up at him with an apologetic look. "Nightmares, eh? So this is why you've been looking so tired lately."

Richter only glared. Aster carried on, unfazed.

"C'mon, there's nothing shameful in having nightmares every now and then," he whispered. "You could have told me. I could have helped."

"I doubt it," the older boy mumbled, looking down. _You've been in every one of them. Dead._

"Why?"

"No reason."

"I know you better than that, Richter, but if you don't want to talk, that's alright."

Said redhead flopped back down on the bed, exhausted by the adrenaline rush his dream had triggered. He just wanted to go back to sleep, and forget, and maybe dream of something not quite so morbid. He also wanted to hug Aster to pieces just for being alive.

A comfortable sort of quiet settled between the two. For a while, the only sounds to be heard were the wind in the trees outside and the gentle _clink, clink_ of Aster's spoon. Though he tried, Richter couldn't seem to shake the image of that absent expression and empty emerald eyes from his head. He sighed, then sniffed… and then sniffed again.

"Chocolate?"

"Yep!" Aster chirped. He held out the spoon with a flourish and asked, "Want some?"

Richter sat up without hesitation and took the morsel of ice cream that had been on the spoon. It was his weakness. Aster knew it.

"Why are you up so late, anyway?" Richter inquired. Sitting in the dark wasn't exactly a hobby of his.

"No reason."

"I know you better than that."

Aster smirked at having his own words thrown back at him. "Ah, fine… several reasons. One, for work. Two, I wanted ice cream. And three, I was worried about you."

Richter didn't know what to say, so he took the second bite that Aster held out to him, silent.

"You're my friend. We worry about people who are important to us."

"If I remember our actions from earlier correctly, we are much more than friends," Richter chuckled.

"Lovers, then." Aster gave Richter another bite of ice cream, and then took a bite himself. "It doesn't matter what you call it. Love is love. To me, you're important."

"I love you too."

Aster smiled wider. "I know…"

"Sorry for worrying you."

"No need to apologize."

"Can I have more ice cream?"

Aster laughed. "You just missed the last bite!"

Richter nearly pouted, then thought better and leaned over to give Aster a long, deep kiss. The taste of chocolate still lingered on his lips, but the way they moved was far more intoxicating than chocolate ever could be.

"I won't lose you again," Richter whispered after they finally broke apart.

"When did I ever leave…?" Suddenly his eyes widened. "Oh! Wait, is that what you were having nightmares about?"

"…Maybe." The redhead blushed. That wasn't what he had planned on saying!

"Oh, you, of course I can help! Here."

"Wait… what are you doing?"

Aster had set the dishes on the counter and was now crawling into the bed with him.

"The next time you wake up from a nightmare, I'll be right here to comfort you and get you back to sleep again."

Richter didn't quite know what to say to that, so he just sighed and wrapped his arms around the other boy. Aster gave him a peck on the cheek.

"You really do a have a few screws loose, you know that?"

"I know," he grinned.

"But I'm glad you're alive."

"Me, too. I won't be dying anytime soon – promise."

"Thanks."

Aster smiled softly as he watched Richter close his eyes, his breathing becoming steadier as the minutes passed them by. _Sweet dreams, _he thought. Then he snuggled into the blankets, closed his eyes, and drifted off as well.


End file.
